


The Swan Lake

by SerMisty



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Ballet AU, F/F, Human AU, and this time Blue Pearl is not mute and talks but honestly I prefer her mute, don't mind the ending it's 1am I am trash and tired, the rating is mostly to be sure, there's a little bit of swearing because Human!Yellow swears and I won't be told the contrary, this has been an experiment and it failed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-17 12:53:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5870401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerMisty/pseuds/SerMisty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"The Crystal Gems’ Academy of Ballet was the most renowned dance school of Beach City. [...] The Academy had singular rules, unique as unique was the school itself. The ability of students and professors was graded with the names of gemstones: the higher level teachers were Diamonds, immediately followed by Quartzs; students were classified as Sapphires, Lapis, Rubies, Peridots, all coming down to Pearls, the younger and first class students".</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Swan Lake

**Author's Note:**

> this is literally because of the dozens of ballet!Pearls AU fanarts on the internet. I just had to.

The Crystal Gems’ Academy of Ballet was the most renowned dance school of Beach City. Everybody, even the less interested in ballet and music, knew that the preparation was incredibly hard and intensive and that only the best could pass the exams. It was extremely selective and coming from the Crystal Gems’ Academy was a certain _passepartout_ for being accepted everywhere. 

The Academy had singular rules, unique as unique was the school itself. The ability of students and professors was graded with the names of gemstones: the higher level teachers were Diamonds, immediately followed by Quartzs; students were classified as Sapphires, Lapis, Rubies, Peridots, all coming down to Pearls, the younger and first class students.   
The school was divided in four section, each one by color: blue, yellow, white, pink. Since students and teachers wore the uniform that matched the color of their section, it was a habit to call each other with color and grade and not with their name. Some said that Diamonds didn’t even remember their own names anymore. 

Pearls were innocent when they entered the school, and for this very reason everyone was fond of them: they were so young, so beautiful, so full of hopes and dreams. The first class was the easiest, of course, and still lots of them could never pass to the next level. Sapphires, from the top of their rank, used to say that they could see in the future and guess which Pearl would have passed and which wouldn’t just by a single look. 

Hundreds of girls came to knock every year at the door of the Academy, pleading for an audition, to show their worth. They all were granted their wish, but only a handful of them eventually entered the school. When this happened, usually a Diamond took one of them under their wing and raised them, their one and only, their Pearl.   
Since the Academy was a sort of college and the students lived there, Pearls often followed their teacher everywhere and didn’t interact very much with higher level students. Peridots, with a smirk, commented that they were only little slaves.   
Actually, sometimes Diamonds did use Pearls for works they didn’t feel like doing. Nobody contested: it was only fair. 

At the time, three of the new Pearls were pretty well known on every floor of the Academy. One for her smug and arrogant grin that knew no modesty, the Pearl of Yellow Diamond; another one for her shyness and grace and her great ability, the Pearl of Blue Diamond; the third one was known for her elegance, her strength that almost remembered a sword fighter, and because she wasn’t the Pearl of a Diamond.   
She was taught by Rose Quartz. 

Rose Quartz was a brilliant ballerina and a brilliant woman. She was close to becoming the next Pink Diamond, and even if the old one was still in charge she usually filled in for most of her duties.   
But raising a Pearl had become a tradition of Diamonds: she was the first Quartz to ever have one to teach to.   
The fact aroused so much noise that her Pearl wasn’t called with her color, like Yellow Pearl and Blue Pearl were. She was only addressed to as Pearl: nobody ever got confused.

***

«One, two, three, _plié_ ».   
«One, two, three, _plié_ ».   
«That’s enough». 

Next to each other, three drops of different colored paint, the girls stopped their movements and sighed with relief. Yellow Pearl remained uptight, chin lifted; Blue Pearl wiped off the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, moving away the hair that was always in front of her eyes. Pearl leaned herself against the mirror that completely covered one wall of the practice room.   
«What do you think? I believe they all did very well». 

Pearl raised her head at the sound of Rose Quartz’s voice and smiled: her characteristic pink curls bounced as she walked towards Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond. The other two teachers didn’t seem as convinced as she was.   
«They are making visible progresses» Blue Diamond bargained, fixing her hijab.   
«I think they are not ready for the ballet» Yellow Diamond affirmed, as sharp as ever. «The exhibition of year-end must be perfect for every level of students. They are not perfect». 

Yellow Pearl lost her right composure and lowered her head a little. Blue Pearl hugged herself. Pearl bit her lip, waiting for her teacher to reply. 

«Well, you can’t expect them to be as the same level of a Sapphire» Rose laughed. «They are doing their best, this is what matters. And the version of The Swan Lake that Pearls will reenact is easier. Our three girls» and here she turned around, smiling at them, and Pearl immediately reacted and smiled back and blushed, «will be perfect for the main roles».   
«Yeah, about that» Yellow Diamond muttered, «maybe it’s better if we talk in private».   
Blue Diamond nodded and Rose herself assented.   
The teachers stepped out of the practice room, leaving the girls alone. 

Yellow let out a loud sigh, grabbing a bar and holding onto it so hard that her knuckles became white.   
«I fucked up» she busted out.   
Pearl smiled gently.   
«That’s not true» she replied. «You were great. Your _entrechat_ was-»   
«Not perfect» Yellow interrupted. «Didn’t you hear Yellow Diamond? We weren’t perfect».   
Pearl blushed a little.   
«Well» she murmured, «Rose said we did very well».   
«Do I look like I care about what your Quartz says? She is not a Diamond. She’s less important».   
Pearl frowned and refrained herself from snapping. Rose was one delicate topic for her.   
«If she said it, it must be true» she concluded.   
«I don’t give a fuck» Yellow turned around.   
Before Pearl could reply, Blue put herself between them.   
«Calm down» she ordered. Then, addressing to Yellow, «And don’t be vulgar».   
Yellow snorted but didn’t object. She turned around again and tried some dance step at the bar. 

Blue smiled; Pearl could hardly distinguish her eyes under her bangs.   
«Rose Quartz is always very kind» she said. «She cares about the effort, and it is something we all put in. Blue Diamond and Yellow Diamond want results most of all».   
«Rose’s lessons are hard too» Pearl specified, reading between the lines. «She complains when she has to, but I try not to give her a reason».   
«I know» Blue smiled again. «You are very talented».   
«They are probably banging». 

Pearl blushed furiously at Yellow’s insinuation, her pale cheeks came to look almost cerulean under the light of the room.   
Blue punched Yellow slightly on the arm, but she was standing on one foot’s tiptoe and it was enough to make her lose balance.   
«Hey!» she whined.   
«Don’t say these things» Blue scolded her.   
«Why not? Everybody thinks it’s true anyway».   
Pearl gulped.   
«Everybody thinks I’m seeing Rose?» she asked in a murmur.   
«Everybody thinks you’re _banging_ Rose» Yellow corrected with a smug smirk. Blue punched her again. «Hey! Stop that!»   
Pearl’s face was completely flushed.   
«I» she stuttered, «I am _not_!»   
«Oh, really?» Yellow laughed. She started twirling around Pearl, mimicking her. «Rose is _so_ smart and _so_ kind and _so_ talented and _so_ beautiful and _so_ sexy…»   
«Shut up!» Pearl tried, but since Yellow didn’t seem intentioned to stop, she snapped: «Well, everyone says _you_ are banging Blue!» 

Yellow jumped and almost fell, regaining balance at the last second. Blue found herself coughing. The three of them were now all flushed and embarrassed.   
«That’s nonsense!» Yellow almost screamed, angrily fixing her straps. «Who says that? I’m going to make them regret it!»   
«It’s not true» Blue’s agreement came in a whisper.   
«It’s not funny when they spread rumors about you, isn’t it?» Pearl took a deep breath. «Can we stop now?»   
Both Blue and Yellow nodded. Neither of them talked for a while, waiting for their cheeks to go back to their original shade.

«I can’t wait for the ballet» Blue was the first to speak again. «I will be happy with whatever role they’ll assign me».   
«Me too» Pearl agreed. «We have already come this far enough to contend for the main roles. I will be satisfied anyway».   
Yellow scoffed.   
«I’m glad to hear it» her smug grin was back, «because there’s no doubt that the role of the Swan Princess will be mine».   
Pearl rolled her eyes.   
«How can you be so sure?» Blue didn’t exactly deny it, she only seemed curious.   
«Because I am the best. My performance today may not have been perfect, but it’s no secret that I’m better than you. No hard feeling» she added in a little laugh, «I’m only speaking the truth! I am _Yellow Diamond’s Pearl_ , after all. Everybody knows she only raises the best students».   
That was true. Yellow Diamond was easily the most strict and capable teacher of the Academy. She rarely took Pearls personally under her wing, and when she did surely that Pearl had something special in her.   
«You will probably be given the role of the Prince» Yellow pointed at Blue, «since you are so good at it. You even like it. And you, Pearl, will be the Evil Sorcerer that gets defeated in the end. It suits you». 

Pearl was about to reply and erase that arrogant grin from Yellow’s face when their teachers came back. The girls immediately stood uptight.   
«We decided to give you another week of training before choosing the roles» Yellow Diamond announced. «You better make good use of it».   
They nodded all together.   
«Come, Pearl» Blue Diamond said, turning around. «Let’s go to lunch».   
Blue followed her, waving goodbye to her friends and running to her teacher’s side. They exited the practice room.   
Yellow Diamond gave no explanation.   
«Pearl» she simply called. Yellow was next to her in a matter of seconds and they disappeared in the hallway.   
Rose shook her head. She walked to Pearl and lovingly caressed her hair. Pearl blushed.   
«I’m sorry if I wasn’t perfect» she murmured.   
«Don’t mind Yellow Diamond» Rose smiled and kissed her forehead. «I think you were pretty great». 

***

The three teachers had different methods of training. 

Blue Diamond followed closely her Pearl’s movement from the chair she sat in, reminding her what to do and how. She praised when she felt it was right and scolded sharply when needed, made her repeat the same part dozens of times without a single break.   
In the end, however, when Blue leaned against the wall as a sweaty mess, she moved close to her and handed her a bottle of water and a towel, caressing her cheek no matter how the rehearsal went. Blue thanked her with a little smile. 

Yellow Diamond watched her student dancing without saying a word, standing at the side of the room, arms crossed and an unchanging severe look on her face. Yellow Pearl went on with the scene until the end, then stopped the music and scampered like a bird in front of the teacher, waiting for a judgement.   
If she did well, without the single littlest mistake, Yellow Diamond would only nod and give her permission to move on the next scene; if the contrary happened, she would explain briefly what to change: more accentuated, less aggressive, slower, faster. Then it was time to do it again, from the beginning.   
Yellow Diamond never praised, only disciplined. Yellow Pearl never complained. 

Pearl understood why: even if Rose would have acted like Yellow Diamond, she would have followed her and admired her in the same way.   
But Rose Quartz wasn’t like Yellow Diamond, and neither like Blue Diamond. Rose danced alongside Pearl, guiding her through the scene or letting her take the lead. She did not call another student when they had to rehearse a pas de deux, but danced with her instead. Pearl lost herself in Rose’s arms, their bodies pressed against each other, their lips sometimes so close that they could touch.   
_(And at the end of the rehearsal they always did, because not all the rumors are fake)._   
Rose had always compliments to give; she only scolded her when Pearl wasn’t concentrated, wasn’t putting all of her effort in it, which happened rarely. They danced together for hours and hours until they both were tired and sweaty and laughing and Pearl was flushed and happy and ready to forget her fatigue if it meant spending another minute in Rose’s arms. 

***

Every class of students had their own ballet to prepare. Usually the one that Pearls did wasn’t taken much in consideration by higher level Gems like Sapphires and Lapis, but this time the whole school was secretly interested in knowing which one of the three famous Pearls would have been given the role of Swan Princess. There were bets going on between the Rubies and Peridots spent more time than they should have calculating the probabilities. 

When the day came, the girls waited for their teachers in the practice room without saying a word, tormenting their fingers or tapping their feet on the floor. Rose, Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond walked through the door with all the solemnity they were capable of.   
«We made our decision» Rose announced. «I want all of you to know that this choice is based on pure matters of technique. You girls are already the best dancers among the others, so please don’t worry: our opinion of you hasn’t changed only because of the role we decided to assign you».   
Pearl and Blue nodded. Yellow snorted, impatient. 

Blue Diamond was the first to move. She walked over to her student, put one hand on her shoulder and said: «You, Pearl, have been assigned the role of the Prince».   
Blue’s smile enlarged and she automatically clapped a few times.   
«Thank you, Miss Diamond!» it was her favorite role, after all.   
Yellow straightened a little bit more, proud and arrogant: her prediction was becoming true. 

Rose and Yellow Diamond exchanged a look. Then Rose moved forward, reached Pearl and raised her chin with two fingers.   
«Pearl» she started.   
The girl awaited.   
«You will be the Swan Princess».   
The words were said with such casualness that it took Pearl a couple of seconds to realize what they meant. She blinked, her mouth fell open, her ears were buzzing.   
«M-Me?» she stuttered. She hoped for it, but she never thought it could really happen.   
Rose laughed.   
«Yes, you».   
Pearl’s body was unable to move. Blue hugged her all of sudden, almost made her fall on the ground.   
«That’s amazing!» she exclaimed. «You will be great!»   
And Pearl laughed and cried at the same time and of course, of course they were forgetting about someone in that happy picture frame.   
«What?!» 

Yellow was simply furious. Her fists trembling, nails jabbed in her palm’s skin, her breath heavy.   
«You must be joking!» she yelled. «I can’t be the Evil Sorcerer! _I_ should be the Swan Princess, not her! This is ridiculous!» she turned to the only person she hoped could help her. «Miss Diamond!-»   
But Yellow Diamond didn’t move. Arms crossed in front of her chest, she nodded.   
«This is our decision, Pearl». 

The other two girls were sure they heard Yellow’s heart crack. 

«B-But!» Yellow hesitated, but then ran up to stand desperately in front of her teacher. «That’s not fair, Miss Diamond! I put all my efforts in this! I worked hard and I’m better than her, I can prove it!»   
«We know how much you committed for this role» Rose tried to reason with her, «but see-»   
«You’re simply not good enough» Yellow Diamond concluded, harsh. Rose muttered something between her teeth. «Rose’s Pearl is more suitable for this role than you. That’s it».   
«I won’t accept it!» Yellow shouted, her little body shaking by the fury of her screams. «I know I’m a better dancer than she is! I am _your student_ , Miss Diamond!»   
«That’s precisely why I know what I’m doing».   
« _You don’t understand!_ » 

Yellow Diamond frowned, gazing at her Pearl that looked tiny and helpless in front of her. Rose opened her mouth to say something, but Blue Diamond stopped her and shook her head.   
«Are you questioning my authority?» Yellow Diamond hissed.   
The girl was clearly terrified, but didn’t step back.   
«I’m questioning your objectivity!» she replied. «If you could just give me a chance, you’ll see-»   
«That’s enough!» 

Blue and Pearl jumped. They wouldn’t have been surprised if Yellow had flew away from the strength of her teacher’s voice.   
«You are embarrassing yourself in front of everyone» Yellow Diamond thundered, «and worse, you are embarrassing _me_. You aren’t good enough for this role, and you will learn to be quiet and respect who understands more than you. I have made my decision and you will accept it. Is that clear?»   
Yellow took her rebuke stoically, but her anger didn’t vanish. She slammed one foot on the ground and turned to face her friends, eyes full of tears. She glared at Pearl and almost growled.   
«I hope you end up like in that fucking film!»   
The next thing to be heard was the sound of the door slamming closed. 

Blue was the first to react. She whispered in Pearl’s ear: «I’m going to find her» and ran after her. Blue Diamond let her go and quickly she disappeared.   
Yellow Diamond shook her head severely. On her way out, she met Pearl’s eyes.   
«Congratulations».   
Maybe it was sincere, but it stung. Pearl lowered her eyes.   
Rose caressed her back.   
«Don’t worry» she smiled, «she’ll get over it».   
Pearl could only hope so. 

***

Blue found her hiding in the bathroom and gently knocked at the door where she heard the muffled sobs coming from.   
«Yellow».   
The response was immediate.   
«Go the fuck away!»   
Blue nodded at herself. Yes, it was her.   
«Yellow, it’s me. Can we talk?»   
«She stole it. She stole my role. _I_ was supposed to be the Swan Princess, not her! I worked hard, I did my best and my best meant nothing!»   
«That’s not true» Blue said, leaning herself against the door. «If it really meant nothing you wouldn’t even be here in first place. I know how much you worked for this, Yellow Diamond knows. But sometimes, you just need to learn to lose».   
A strong blow from the other side of the door made Blue jerk away from it.   
«If I lose, then all my efforts are useless! I gave up everything for this, and now I am scarred for life! Everyone will know that she is better than me!»   
«You’re just being a melodramatic child» Blue rolled her eyes.

Another Pearl that was using the bathroom next to them came out and looked at Blue with confusion before quickly going away. She knocked at the door again.   
«Can I come in? This is starting to get wei-!»   
Yellow opened the door with a yank and harshly dragged Blue inside. The door was then closed again by basically slamming Blue against it, Yellow’s hands at her sides.   
«There» Yellow hissed. «You happy?»   
«You are _rude_ and _dangerous_ and you need to _calm down_ » Blue replied, shocked, her cheeks flushed because of the sudden jerk and because Yellow’s face was particularly close to hers. «It’s just a ballet, Yellow. The first of the hundreds of ballets we will make in this school. You can’t possibly want to ruin a friendship just because you weren’t assigned the role you wanted».   
«Pearl is not my friend» Yellow muttered. Blue cocked one eyebrow and raised her bangs just enough to stare at her directly in the eyes, not believing her lie for a second. Yellow looked away.   
«But I am you friend, am I not?» Blue continued. «You can’t throw it all away for a ballet».   
«I don’t want to throw you away» Yellow quickly answered, maybe a little too quickly. «It’s not your fault».   
«It’s not Pearl’s, either». 

Yellow whispered something and kept her head lowered. When Blue gently raised it, she realized she was crying.   
«There, there» she smiled, brushing her tears away. «Everything is alright. You will be the best Evil Sorcerer this school has ever known, and next year – what is the program of the second year? I don’t remember – you will be assigned the main role».   
Yellow sighed.   
«Yellow Diamond said I wasn’t good enough» she murmured. «After all that I’ve done, I’m not good enough».   
«You are good enough». 

Blue kissed her without being completely conscious she did. It just felt natural the lean forward and hold Yellow’s lips between hers. Yellow kissed her back in the same way, without surprise, like it wasn’t anything to be startled of. Like it was just waiting to happen.   
And they stayed like that for a while, and Blue was still pushed against the wall and Yellow pressed their bodies closer and she was just a little bit taller and then Blue drew back to search for air and whispered against her lips: «Are you going to make up with Pearl?» 

Yellow pulled away almost immediately. Blue felt the loss.   
«You don’t understand» Yellow said, clutching her chest. «I need to be perfect. Always. This is why I came here. I wanted to be the greatest, to be perfect, and Pearl ruined it. All I care about it being the best, nothing else matters».   
Blue couldn’t help a shiver from running down her spine. It hurt.   
She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and heard Yellow sigh.   
«You’re right» she concluded. «I don’t understand».   
She slammed the bathroom’s door close behind her. 

***  
Just as Yellow said, all the school quickly came to know which roles had been assigned for the ballet of the Pearls. But it didn’t become the terrible walk of shame Yellow feared: the students discussed it, laughed about it, the Sapphires commented that they had seen it coming and then all the Gems went back to their own ballets in less than an hour. Yellow was almost disappointed that she couldn’t use it as another reason to hate Pearl for. 

She already had enough, however, with the new addition that Pearl had to dance with Blue. She had to watch them chase each other on the stage while she, the Evil Sorcerer, waited for her moment to appear. It was a dreadful experience.   
She was perfect in her role, of course. Maybe a little bit too perfect. When the Evil Sorcerer had to pull away the Swan Princess from the Prince, she pulled a _little_ too hard. Pearl didn’t complain about it, which only made her angrier.   
Blue gave her the cold shoulder except from when they rehearsed the scene where the Prince and the Evil Sorcerer fought. Yellow hated it. Even more, Pearl tried to ease the situation by smiling and being gentle and generally showing that she wasn’t mad at all – well _of course_ she wasn’t, why would she be? 

One day, two months away from the year-end, Pearl was trying to refine a particular step; even with the help of Rose Quartz, it just didn’t come out right.   
«Yellow does it very well» Pearl said, and turned to her. «Can you help me?»   
The girl growled.   
«Since you’re so good, I bet you can learn it by yourself». 

She walked away not to hear Pearl’s sigh and Blue’s comments. She just couldn’t stand it. It had become a matter of principle by now.   
She leaned against a wall, watching with envy while both Blue and Rose tried to help the Swan Princess. Her neck sank in the shoulders and it was only after a while that she realized that Yellow Diamond was next to her.   
She jumped uptight.   
«No, stay» Yellow Diamond said, and the girl couldn’t hide her surprise. Her voice was calm but not unstressed; she would have said gentle, but it was Yellow Diamond they were talking about. «I want to tell you something».   
Yellow refrained from snorting: she had no intention of changing her mind, not even if her teacher said so.   
«You know, when I was your age, a Pearl just like you, I wasn’t assigned the main role either».   
This caught Yellow’s attention. She turned around, surprised.   
«Really?»   
«Yes. They gave it to the one that you now know as White Diamond. I was furious, and I did an outburst against my teacher, just like you did. Even worse than you, if I have to be honest».   
Yellow couldn’t believe it. Yellow Diamond was perfect in her eyes – as perfect as she wanted to become – and she had imagined that her career of dancer would have been flawless too.   
«But after a while, I learned a very important lesson» Yellow Diamond continued.   
«What was it?» the girl asked cautiously.   
Yellow Diamond lowered her eyes to meet hers.   
«That, as cheesy as it sounds, friendship is more important than a ballet» she affirmed. «And that if you work all together, the audience won’t be able to distinguish which one of you is the main character. There cannot be a Swan Princess without a Prince and an Evil Sorcerer, and vice-versa: you are all part of each other, just like in a friendship».   
Yellow bit her lips. She looked over to Pearl and Blue, that were still trying that dance step she knew so well; she recalled what Blue had said, and wondered if she really was ready to give all of that up.   
For a second, only one, Yellow Diamond appeared to smile. It was an expression uniquely rare and Yellow almost missed it.   
«Go. It’s an order». 

Yellow discovered that she needed that incentive. She started walking slowly, still hesitant, but as the voices became louder while she got closer the ballet looked more and more insignificant and when she reached them she was smiling.   
She took Pearl’s hands in hers before even opening her mouth. Pearl jumped, surprised, and looked at her with confusion.   
«You’re hopeless» Yellow commented, and she was grinning. «I’ll show you how it’s done». 

Pearl and Blue hugged her and Yellow for once didn’t complain. 

***

Yellow Diamond was right: working together did improve the whole outcome of rehearsals. They danced like one person, smooth and elegant, and the other Pearls watched them breathless. Rose Quartz, stars in her eyes, commented that they had brought to life the characters of the ballet.   
All of them put their best in their part, and Yellow never pulled Pearl too strong anymore. She wasn’t even jealous when Blue and Pearl had to dance together.   
_(She had no reason to be; Blue’s kisses after the lessons where only hers and it was perfect, just like Yellow wanted to be, just like Blue was, just like when they danced)._   
When she went that far to tell Pearl, right after the scene of the Black Swan, that she had really been amazing, Pearl hugged her so suddenly that she almost fell. Blue laughed a little, covering her mouth. 

When the fatal day finally came, however, no friendship and no rehearsal could avoid anxiety. Pearls’ ballet was the first in schedule, being the lower level, and the girls spied from behind the curtain the audience take place and Rose Quartz making her presentation speech.   
«It’s completely sold out» Blue observed, fixing her full body leotard.   
«Just like every year» Yellow noticed. «I remember when I used to sit there, in first row, drooling about the idea of being on the stage one day. Good times». 

Pearl stood a bit far away from them, hugging herself. Her feet moved by their own will, scampering like a bird or the swan she was supposed to be.   
«Are you okay?» Blue asked when she turned around.   
«Yes, I just feel like I’m about to throw up, that’s all» Pearl replied with a chocked laugh.   
«Please don’t tell me you’re about to have a panic attack» Yellow grimaced, but her lively eyes showed that she was ready to intervene if needed. «That’s the last thing we need right now».   
«Strangely, I am not» Pearl grinned a little. «I expected to have one. You two are great to handle me when it happens».   
«The first time I ran to Blue screaming that you were dying».   
«Blue is great to handle me».   
Blue smiled and handed her a bottle of water. Pearl drank and was about to lean against the wall, but then remembered how much time the make-up artists had spent on her face and hair and how much white her dress was and she refrained.   
«Maybe I should have passed this role to you» she said. «At least I would be calmer».   
«Do not even _joke_ about this» Yellow snapped, but they both were grinning. Blue joined her hands in front of her chest, happy to see them teasing each other because that’s what best friends do.   
«You will be amazing» she then reassured Pearl, putting one hand on her shoulder. «And even if you will just be great, we know you put your heart in it».   
«But you better be amazing» Yellow added, «because I will be amazing and you need to keep pace».

They heard Rose Quartz from the stage about to end her short speech and looked over at the other Pearls that, from the other side of the offstage, signaled them good luck.   
«It’s time for the prologue» Yellow announced, fixing her cape, «in which the Evil Sorcerer transforms the princess in a swan. I love that part. You ready?»   
Pearl took the hand Yellow was stretching out for her.   
«I am. Are you?» 

They all were. The audience clapped until the palms hurt, crying out in the scenes where the three girls danced to together, standing when the Black Swan had finished her duet with the Prince: tears of pain fell down for the Swan Princess’ death and then tears of joy when she came back, and again tears of pain when the Evil Sorcerer died because they grew attached on the way she danced. 

The next day, The Swan Lake would have been the only ballet to be remembered from the year-end show of the Crystal Gems’ Academy. 

***  
«Yellow, not here!»   
The girl snorted and took her lips away from Blue’s neck. She didn’t let her free from her arms, however, keeping their bodies close and pressing her own back against the wall.   
«Why not?» she muttered. «We’re literally the only ones here. The whole school is still behind the scenes, watching the Rubies’ ballet. We’re alone».   
And she tried to resume from where she had stopped.   
Blue pushed her away, cheeks flushed.   
«We’re in the hallway. Someone could come» she laughed a little bit, covering her mouth. «Blue Diamond would yell at me for days if she discovered about us».   
Yellow rolled her eyes.   
«I hate you» she groaned. Then, pointing at the costume she was still wearing. «And I hate this thing. I want it off».   
«Can’t you wait?»   
«I have a lot of adrenaline in my veins and I want to celebrate our perfect performance. No, I can’t».   
Blue’s face became even redder – more cerulean, under the faint light.   
«You are terrible» she commented.   
«Come on, think of the plot twist. The Evil Sorcerer going at it with the Prince. A masterpiece» and she tried to kiss her again.   
«Not. Here» Blue repeated. 

Yellow moaned, annoyed. Then a wicked grin appeared on her face; she grabbed Blue by her wrist and gently but firmly dragged her along the hallway.   
«Where are we going?» she asked, careful not to step on the other girl’s cape.   
«The practice room».   
Under her bangs, Blue’s eyes widened.   
«I swear-»   
«Weren’t you suggesting that we went away from the hallway?»   
«Well yes, but-»   
Yellow silenced her with her lips and Blue forgot what she had to say, holding her arms around Yellow’s neck and pressing herself closer. Having reached the door of the practice room, Yellow lowered the doorknob with one hand and slid them both inside, closing it immediately after.

A faint yelp of surprise, then Blue pushed her away and Yellow opened her eyes, turning around. 

Apparently, not everyone was behind the scenes watching the Rubies’ ballet. And apparently, Yellow hadn’t been the first to think about the practice room to relieve to adrenaline.   
The sight of Pearl, half naked in the arms of Rose Quartz, face beat red and her teacher’s fingers now quickly pulling away from between her tights was not something Yellow expected or wished to see. 

Blue let out a soft “oh my god” and turned around, covering her crimson face. Pearl tried desperately to say something while at the same time hiding behind Rose Quartz, who looked embarrassed but slightly amused.   
In between the blankness of her mind, Yellow could find one single thing to say, nudging a flushed Blue behind her. 

«I told you they were banging».

**Author's Note:**

> (lowkey want to write an angst piece about pearl having panic attacks now) (also sorry the ending is stupid but I regret nothing)


End file.
